Pars about Notabilities.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 237, 3 October 1908, Page 13

Pars about Notabilities.

General Sir Archibald Hunter, K.CB., just back to Bombay from a brief stay in England, will vacate his appointment of General Officer Commanding the •Southern Army in India on October 30, when he will be succeeded by LieutenantGeneral Sir Bruce Meade Hamilton, X.C.8., who formerly commanded the D Division in the Aldershot command. Tlie Duke of Connaught is a very rich man, for besides receiving £25,000 a year from the nation as a prince of the blood, it is known that the late Queen Victoria left her favourite son Prince Arthur just as well provided for in proportion as her favourite daughter, Princess Beatrice. The Duke's various appointments bring him in a certain amount as well, and the Duchess inherited a fair sum from her parents, the late Prince and Princess Frederick Charles of Prussia—the former celebrated in the Franco-German War as the ''Red Prince," a name that he went by for the remainder of his days. A movement has been started (says a London correspondent) among some of our leading sportsmen to present Mr. Boosevelt with some souvenir of his proposed shooting trip, after he leaves the White House at Washington, next spring, to British East Africa. It is suggested that a sporting gun of British manufacture -would be an appropriate object to offer to the retiring President of the United States; and it seems very likely that the gift ultimately will take this form, and that the gun will reach Mr Roosevelt before he lands at Mombasa, bo that he can use it during his stay in the British Protectorate. The Emperor Monelik has become an ardent motorist. It appears that a Berlin merchant, wishing to extend his business, resolved to visit the Abyssinian capital by motor. He arrived at Djibouti with some attendants, and after exciting adventures, reached Adis Abeba with his machine. Tbe Negus, who up to this time had never seen a motor, was so greatly interested in its mechanism that the merchant diplomatically asked his Majesty's acceptance. At the present time lie spends all his leisure moments in riding froi*: the capital to his summer residence, about i"> miles from Samara. The merchant has returned to Berlin, bringing with him three Abyssinian boys w ho are to be trained as chauffeurs. General Walter Kitchener, who is to be Governor of Bermuda, is rather over-j shadowed by his better-known brother.' When in South Africa he had occasion to rebuke two Canadians, and the men I seemed to resent bis interference. "'PerIhaps you do not know who 1 am?" said Kitchener, who was in mufti. "No: who I are you ?" asked one of the colonials. I "General Kitchener, and I shall expect you both to report, yourselves at my tent in the morning." One of the colonials laughed scofnngly at this. "Why. we have had old Kitchener's picture on the woodshed at home ever since he whacked the niggers at Omdurman, and you are about, as much like him as I am." he said. "The woodshed saved j him," General Kitchener remarked at the ' end of the tale. Of the many famous wives of the 'Cavendishes. 'the (recently-widowed Duchess of Devonshire is not the least notable: indeed, many say that she surpassed them all in social gifts, whilst her beauty in her early years was undoubted. She enjoyed, too. the almost unique distinction of having been twice a duchess, her lirst husband having been Duke of Manchester, and her second marriage to the late Duke of Devonshire was the culmination of a romance of long-standing. She was also German by birth, but had so identified herself with English ways and customs that this fact was quite forgotten, and for a generation she was the most famous political lady in England. Her entertainments at C'hatsworth were celebrated, for here she entertained the King and Queen almost every year, and at Devonshire House, in London, most magnificent entertainments were given, the fancy dress ball of duly. 1897. being considered one of the greatest social events of the latter part of the last century. The news that General Rooth is suffering from cataract, and will probably undergo m operation on his return to London from South Africa, recalls the fact tlmt this affliction befell an older and more illustrious public son-ant. Mr Gladstone was 85 when he wrote hbi letter of resignation io Queen Victoria, urging his increasing deafness and cataract ill both his eye.s as the reasons for laying aside his Parliamentary labours. The eyesight trouble, he said, "has cut i him olf in substance from the newspapers, ) and from all except the best types in the best lights, while even as to these he ciin- | not master them with that ordinary facility and dispatch which be deems absolutely required for the due dispatch of j his public duties." The chief of the Salivation Army is only 71". six years younger than Mr Gladstone when he wrote the above letter, and in that extra six years lies abundant hope. The Marquis of Ailsa, who was on board his yacht. Bloodhound, when she came to grief at (Jowes in August, is an enthusiastic yachtsman, and as founder and first chairman of the Ailsa Shipbuilding Company is also interested in craft of a larger tonnage. He is dei seem led from the Lord Kennedy who was j killed at Klodden in IS 13. Lord Cassibs, bis heir, is the son of his first mar- ! riage. His second union, with Miss Bella i M'Mastcr. was somewhat of a romance. 'Ibe daughter of a tea-planter, she had i'ci i! engaged ill mission work in India, and was returning home when she made the acquaintance of the Marquis on the i\ and O. boat. They were of a serious 1:1:0 congenial turn of mind, and before the end of the voyage were engaged to be married. Lord Ailsa's seat, Cuizean Castle, is on the coast of Ayrshire, almost opposite the familiar Ailsa Craig. and is magnificently situated on a rock overlooking the Firth of Clyde. Beverly B. Tilden. IS years ago well known in English society, has died at the age of 47 at. lnnisvale. his beautiful country home, near San Jose, California. 111----healtlt had rendered him an invalid for the past seven years. The life of Tilden ' was crowded with romance and adventure. His father was the late Colonel William Tilden, of New York, a millionaire varnish manufacturer. Beverly 1 Tilden, though born in New York, spent 1 most of his life in England, where his ': wealth and talents speedily brought him j into notic-'. particularly in musical cir- . ch-s. Jt was he who introduced Madame j Noidk-.i to the concert world, and pre- ! dieted the Mice-ess of Alice Neilsou and 1 other operatic star.-. He numbered I among his friends Beerbohm Tree, Henry I living, Sarah Bernhardt, and Si?>yl

Sanderson. Tilden was presented to Queen Victoria on the occasion of her Jubilee by the United States Ambassador. It is related that he was engaged to marry a famous singer, and the date for the wedding had been announced. The night before the event the lady disappeared, leaving England. In after years the pair met, and became, warm friends. Seven years ago Tilden left New York, in company with C. H. Geldert for years a leading man with Richard Multifield. Geldert had just been nursed through a dangerous illness by Tilden. an the two men planned to tour the world. Tilden's health gave way, and when California was reached it was decided to remain there in the hope of him gaining strength. lnnisvale was purchased, and there the two friends lived, Geldert being unwilling to desert his associate. Kingsville. Texas, claims to have as a resident the largest female landholder in the United States. Her name is Mrs. King, and she is a widow. Her possessions aggregate the enormous total of 1,470,000 acres, and she lives in a palatial ranch home in Kingsville. But recently she added 100,000 acres to her holding with as little fuss as the average person buys a small tract. Most of her land is valued at from £3 to £4 an acre, and her total wealth, including cattle and other property, is estimated at £6,000,000. Her estate is managed by her son-in-law, but Mrs. King is consulted about every important matter. Agricultural operations are carried on on an extensive scale, and live stock is raised in great numbers on the vast ranch. Lord Kintore, whose 50th birthday was celebrated last month, is a courtier of old standing, for he was a Lord-in-\Vaiting to Queen Victoria for some years, as well as Captain of her Yeoman of the Guard, resigning that post when he went out to South Australia as Governor. He has been a Lord of the Bedchamber to King ~owaru since nis accession. It is five and thirty years since. 1-iord Kintore married a daughter of the sixth Duke of Manchester, and they have one surviving son. Lord Falconer, whe is famous —as is also Lord Kintore himself—among the crack shots of today. The Earls of Kintore are hereditary knight-marischal of Scotland, a dignity granted to the sixth Earl MariseliaJ for preserving the Scottish regalia in the Civil War. Their principal seat is Keith Hall, in Aberdeenshire.